Hungarian government expert mission to assess Druzhba pipeline stalled after member refused entry over military conscription fears.
Mission Delayed
A five-member expert group appointed by the Hungarian government on March 4, led by Vice Minister of Energy Gabor Czepek, was tasked with assessing the Druzhba pipeline. One member, who was born in Ukraine’s Zakarpattia region and still holds a Ukrainian passport, refused to cross the border due to fear of military conscription, Hungarian media reported.
As of March 14, Prime Minister Viktor Orban stated that experts still did not have access to the pipeline.
Pipeline Dispute
The Druzhba pipeline, which transports Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia through Ukraine, was damaged in a Russian attack at the end of January. Ukrainian authorities assure that the pipeline is being repaired, but the Orban government claims Ukrainian authorities are deliberately delaying the restart of transit, calling the actions “blackmail.”
Czepek explained on March 11 that their mission was “to conduct a reconnaissance mission regarding the Druzhba pipeline” and “to assess the condition of the pipeline and create conditions for its restart.”
Hungary’s Stance
On March 9, Orban appealed to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to lift energy sanctions imposed on Russia after the 2022 invasion, citing rising energy prices following attacks by the US and Israel on Iran.
Hungary has threatened to block a 90 billion euro EU loan to Ukraine, the 20th package of sanctions against Russia, imposed restrictions on oil exports, and announced price limits to protect consumers and businesses from rising global oil prices.